Mrs_bandito wants a treadmill. She likes running and wants to be able to run, say, on an evening when I’m out on the bike and she’s stuck at home watching over our darling sleeping monsters boys. Its her birthday coming up AND we’ve just moved to a bigger house which has more space. All factors to consider, especially the one that will enhance my evenings out on the bike, so I want to buy one.

Any recommendations? I know nothing of them as I despise gyms and all their equipment.

Edit: And in the interest of STW, I will try landing a small aeroplane on it.

After using one for some rehab, I’d say pay attention to width and hand rail height. Felt like I was having to hold my arms up all the time. Also, check for serviceability and spares. Cheap ones seem to be written off once the belt starts slipping.

I have occasionally had a look on ebay etc to see if I could pic one up for use on cold rainy days but the cheap ones seem to be crap and only run up to 12kmh or so which is bugger all use to me. The better ones are pretty big, but more importantly expensive!

My missus has OCD with running and for the past 20 years has run for ca. 2 hours every single day. With the weather here in the welsh hills this often meant her being out on the hills in rain, snow sleet wind, etc. It never stopped her though! I took pity on her one bad winter and bought her a treadmill, never imagining she would use it. However, she did, and the thing has probably clocked up several thousand miles over a few years. I did have to change one set of bearings on the rear roller after about 4 years as she wore it down to the metal!!! The treadmill is a “Roger Black” branded one, possibily from Argos?? I gave £100 second hand for it.

It is the early version of this, without mp3 connection..

http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3304947.htm

BTW her knees are pretty shot these days and she has now taken to my turbo trainer and has also worn a nice groove in the roller of that!!

I have occasionally had a look on ebay etc to see if I could pic one up for use on cold rainy days but the cheap ones seem to be crap and only run up to 12kmh or so which is bugger all use to me. The better ones are pretty big, but more importantly expensive!

As a regular (gym) treadmill user I’d second this, you definitely want one that will go up to 20kmh, but then the price will soar. You don’t need too many other bells and whistles, things like built-in fans, MP3 players or HR sensors, but a few programmes (like hills, intervals etc) will help to make it more interesting. Positive inclination is a must, negative would be nice but not essential.

Also bear in mind they’re pretty noisy, you’ll need a room a fair distance from the kids’ bedrooms.

My wife had an older version of this one for about 5 years;

http://www.fitness-superstore.co.uk/nordictrack-t9-2-folding-treadmill-with-free-ifit-live.html

I even used it occasionally.

Only things I’d say were bad (and this is probably general)

1) noise – get a thick rubber mat under it if it’s on a wooden floor.
2) heat – make sure it’s by a window that you use a fan
3) it is pretty boring (like a turbo) so either get atablet with a film on it and/or use a program that varies inclide/speed a lot.
4) They take up a lot of space, even folded
5) don’t use it as a clothes horse and make sure it can always be folded down if you want to use it – it’s easy to get demotivated if it’s a faff to get it working.

Found a Horizon Polar treadmill on fleabay, currently at £92 with an hour to go.

it is pretty boring (like a turbo) so either get atablet with a film on it and/or use a program that varies inclide/speed a lot.

Any recommendations? I like the sufferfest vids on the turbo, is there something similarly light-hearted/evil?

I just used the in built programs on the treadmill and listened to an audiobook (reason for audio book is that they go on for a long time and you can look at the pictures in your head without worrying about focusing on a screen)

Any recommendations? I like the sufferfest vids on the turbo, is there something similarly light-hearted/evil?

Sufferfest have treadmill videos, too 🙂

Perfect

Running & Triathlon Videos

Perfect

http://www.thesufferfest.com/training-videos/running-training-videos/

Have to say I haven’t actually used the running ones, only the bike videos. If you do download one I’d be interested to see what you think of it.

Dammit. Outbid on the ebay machine. Hunting down alternatives now.

Think I’ll give the wife a memory stick with the sufferfest vids on for her birthday, and somehow sneak the treadmill into the house… 🙂

Have emailed you Mr Bandito!